Transcript Accessibility Tools and Processes

Accessibility Tools and Processes
Mary Salome, MA
UCSF Center for HIV Information
Untagged PDF being read by a screen
reader (30 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
GaNwnsT4B5s
Two versions of Amazon site (1:07
minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2
ZkVd8GeYTk
Some definitions
“Disability” includes vision, mobility, hearing, epilepsy,
and cognitive impairments. There are subcategories within
these.
Accessibility means ensuring compatibility with assistive
technology. Try to favor true accessibility over mere
compliance with standards. For example, use text to
describe a picture that will mean something to the visually
impaired, rather than just using placeholder or minimal
text to satisfy the requirement.
If we meet WCAG 2.0 A and AA Guideline requirements,
we have automatically met 508 and 504 compliance. This
applies to mobile as well.
Tools for checking compliance
• Intentionality: Make accessibility part of your
work flow.
– Build it into your timelines in places that makes sense
for your team.
– Encourage all roles to “own” accessibility, rather than
thinking of it as a problem that can be addressed
entirely at the start of a document, or added onto the
end of the process.
– If you are authoring a document in a program like
Word or InDesign, tag for accessibility there, and
documents will have fewer issues when you convert
them to PDF (or another format).
Tools for checking compliance
• Use checklists
– http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/accessiblefiles/checklis
ts.html
– http://www.socialsecurity.gov/accessibility/checklists/
word2010/default.htm
• Use tools built into authoring applications
– Acrobat 11 has a Tools menu that includes an
Accessibility tab, and documentation online:
http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/acce
ssibility/products/acrobat/pdfs/acrobat-xiaccessibility-checker.pdf
Tools for checking compliance
• Whenever possible, use licensed applications to check
documents for compliance
– NonVisual Desktop Access (free) http://www.nvaccess.org/
– Jaws (most popular)
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness/Ja
ws
• Services that will check your site’s accessibility:
– http://www.deque.com/products/fireeyes/
• Free and Enterprise versions
• Web AIM recommends arranging for multiple people
with disabilities to review your content.
Resources
• 508 Myths:
http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/508myths.html
• HHS accessibility resources:
http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/accessiblefiles/index.ht
ml
• Techniques and Failures for Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 2.0 http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/2011/WDWCAG20-TECHS-20110621/Overview.html
• Web Accessibility in Mind: http://webaim.org/
• Aidsetc.org’s accessibililty page:
http://aidsetc.org/resource/resources-accessibility